Strategy Before Software

I’ve spent most of this week in Montreal at the annual Canadian Network  of Asset Managers conference. I heard asset managers and civil engineers talk about successes they’ve had using software or formulas to decide which infrastructure to prioritize, or to synchronize interventions to avoid ripping into a right-of-way more than is necessary. Most of the 100 or so delegates seemed energized and impressed by the presentations.

When I took a break to meet with McGill professor of engineering Saeed Mirza at his office, the vibe was a little different. Mirza, whose specialty is structural engineering and rehabilitation of infrastructure, said, ”Simply having software to manage assets will not solve the problem.” Software may help answer the what, but it doesn’t answer the how, he said. How do we build sustainable, durable infrastructure? That’s the real question. According to Mirza, it starts with the basics. Building with the least permeable concrete possible, said Mirza, is akin to building a strong foundation for a house. “That’s where most [structural] problems are solved.”

The problem goes deeper still than engineering flaws, said Mirza. He called what’s happening with Quebec’s Champlain Bridge and Turcot Interchange projects–rebuilding them without reconsidering what services the city wants to provide–”criminal.”

“We need a major philosophy change from design, build, forget to an overall strategy,” said Mirza. “We have to ask ourselves what kind of Montreal do we want in 2050? Then build the supporting infrastructure. Do we want a city cluttered with cars, or do we want to do what London, [England] has done and limit traffic downtown? In order to do that, we need a strong transit system–invest in it,” said Mirza.